Hal was born in 1940 and raised in Brooklyn, New York. His parents were both immigrants who worked hard housekeeping and managing a deli in order to make ends meet. It was their tireless work that instilled a tenacious work ethic that defined the rest of Hal’s life.

Hal got his start working in the beverage industry by spending long summers and bitter New York City winters “pounding the pavement”. Eventually he built his name within the liquor industry which is where he earned his reputation for having a sharp eye, dynamic personality and a finger on the pulse of the beverage industry.

In 1986, he used his expertise to start his own company that would end up becoming one of the largest nonalcoholic beverage and snack distributors in the Northeast.

It was his hard work, dedication and love of serving others that allowed him to become a leader in one of the most competitive beverage landscapes in the world. Hal was a New York character that became an institution. With a personality so bubbly and a voice that could not be silenced it was only natural that his passing inspired his sons to create a beverage in his honor. Because there’s no beverage more quintessentially New York than seltzer water, it’s telling that for a man that was truly New York born and New York made, this is the perfect fit.

Today, we invite you to raise your glass of bubbly (seltzer that is) to this husband, father, friend, mentor and trailblazer.

Hal (L) and his cousin Lenny (R)

Hal's mother and father take a moment to pose for a photo in their deli.